Kitchen cabinet



Sept. 23, 1- w. 'w. HARPER 2,256,592

KITCHEN CABINET Filed Jan. 4, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Sept. 23, 1941 KITCHEN CABINET William Wallace Harper, Birmingham, Ala., assignor to Dixie Metal Products 00., Birmingham, Ala., a corporation of Alabama Application January 4, 194-1, Serial No. 373,175

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in kitchen cabinets and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character embodying a door of a novel construction and arrangement whereby said door, when desired, may be expeditiously swung downwardly to a horizontal position for use as a work table or top.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter Set forth, a kitchen cabinet of the aforementioned character wherein the door may be swung to either position with a minimum of effort.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a kitchen cabinet of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, attractive in appearance, quiet in operation and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a kitchen cabinet constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the door or panel in position for use as a work table or top.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, showing the door in closed position.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section through the cabinet, taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a View in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a cabinet which is designated generally by the reference numeral I, said cabinet being of any suitable metal. Access to the cabinet I is had through a front opening 2. Mounted in the cabinet I is an upper shelf 3 and a comparatively shallow or narrow lower shelf 4.

Mounted horizontally on the side walls 5 of the cabinet I is a pair of metallic channel members 6. The reference numeral I designates a pair of substantially triangular metallic hangers having one end portion pivotally connected, as at 8, to the forward portions of the channel members 6 for swinging movement in a vertical plane. Rigidly secured through the medium of metallic brackets 9 to the free ends of the hangers I is a plate or panel ID of suitable metal. A handle II is provided on one end portion of the panel I0.

Projecting from the pivoted end portions of the swinging hangers 'I are integral arms I2. Coil springs I3 have one end connected to the rear end portions of the channel members 6 and their other ends connected to the arms I2 for swinging the panel I!) upwardly to closed position and for yieldingly supporting said panel in such position. It is thought that the manner of using the member It will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, with the panel IEI in vertical position, as shown to advantage in Figure 3 of the drawings, said panel constitutes a door for closing the opening 2 in the front of the cabinet I. The coil springs I3 are of sufiicient strength to support the panel II) in this position. When it is desired to use the panel II] as a work table or top, as seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, said panel I0 is swung downwardly through the medium of the handle II against the tension of the coil springs l3. By the time the panel In reaches a substantially horizontal position the coil springs I3 will have passed dead center and one end of said panel engages the shelf 4 which functions as a stop for said panel. Suitable bumpers I4 are provided on the front edge of the stop or shelf 4 for the panel Ill. When the coil springs I3 swing past dead center they constitute means for yieldingly securing the panel II! in horizontal position against the shelf 4. It will be observed that the panel II), when in lowered or horizontal position, is substantially flush with the shelf 4.

It is believed that the many advantages of a kitchen cabinet constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a cabinet open at its front, channel members mounted horizontally on the side walls of said cabinet, substantially triangular hangers pivotally mounted on said channel members for swinging movement in a vertical plane, a panel secured on the free ends of said hangers and, when in a vertical position, constituting a door for the cabinet, said panel, when in a horizontal position, further constituting a table extending into the cabinet through the open front thereof, arms projecting from the pivoted end portions of the hangers, coil springs having one end of each connected to the channel members and their other ends connected to said arms, said coil Springs constituting means for yieldingly secur ing the panel in either a vertical or a horizontal position, and a shelf in the cabinet engageable with andconstituting a stop for the panel when said panel is swung to a horizontal position.

2. A cabinet open at one side thereof, substantially triangular hangers pivotally mounted on opposed Walls of the cabinet interiorly of the latter, and swingable in a vertical plane, a panel thereof to said arms, and respectively having the other ends thereof anchored to said opposed Walls of the 'cabinet, said coiled springs constituting means for securing the panel in either a Vertical or horizontal position, and a shelf in the cabinet engageable with and constituting a stop for said panel, when the latter is swung to a horizontal position.

WILLIAM WALLACE HARPER. 

